1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to multi function receptacles and more particularly, to an improved apparatus especially constructed to accommodate various fishing tackle items.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The variations of known so called tackle boxes as employed by fishermen are practically endless. Every sport or recreational fisherman utilizes one or more container devices to house and provide transport for the myriad of accouterments felt to be indispensable in the furtherance of their chosen sport. The difficulty in arriving at the most ideal tackle box is compounded by the diversity of equipment most all fishermen find necessary. Included, of course, are fishing rods together with a bait container, fish cleaning tool, hooks, sinkers, line, floats, leaders and lures, just to mention the most obvious. Five gallon plastic buckets or pails have become a basic catch all device when one does not have a more orderly means of storing and transporting their fishing gear. Such buckets are readily obtainable when nothing else more acceptable is at hand as these buckets are used in the shipping of spackling compound as used in finishing drywall joints and may be had, usually at no cost, wherever building construction or renovation is underway. Of course, a mere bucket falls far short of providing a convenient, orderly tackle box as all of a fisherman's gear is just tossed into such a container and subsequent use may actually prove dangerous as one gropes through the tackle therein to locate a particular snelled hook, for example.
Thus, a single unitary apparatus providing ready storage of a multitude of tackle items is a highly desirable device and ideally should provide for or accommodate various other peripheral items such as fish cleaner, measurer and bait or fish catch receptacle, with each defined as a separate but integral portion of the unitary apparatus.
An example of a multi function carrier will be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,121 issued Mar. 3, 1987 to Lowe and which defines a backpack including an alternative exterior pocket as well as external loops or straps for the attachment of diverse items thereto, while a single removable inner bag is offered and which completely fills the interior of an external bag. This patented device differs from the instant invention wherein a unitary rigid assembly includes a plurality of vertically stacked, individual compartments serving to isolate diverse fishing tackle items, in combination with a horizontally removable waterproof receptacle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,469 issued to Alsobrook et al. on Sep. 8, 1987 is directed to a fishing tackle apparatus per se and illustrates a bag device of soft construction having removable and rollable components for the storage of various tackle elements and includes VELCRO strips for securing the rolled components. This is unlike the present invention wherein a rigid or hardened apparatus includes removable or displaceable rigid components arranged to more positively separate tackle items and retain them in a most orderly and isolated manner.
Another backpack device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,173 issued Jul. 10, 1990 to Jacober and which comprises a softpack having various alternate zippered compartments serving to accommodate an insulated container. This is contrary to the current invention wherein a hardened apparatus having rigidly constructed, stacked compartments are combined with a sheathed receptacle for a fish cleaning knife, together with several additional components specifically arranged for use by fishermen.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,316 issued to Kish on Jan. 4, 1994 relates to a further backpack intended for use by fishermen and includes a rigid frame supporting soft fabric and having a plurality of individual compartments, with the frame including a pivotal leg allowing of support of the backpack upon the ground. This arrangement differs from the present invention wherein an allrigid construction offers a plurality of stacked compartments allowing for the isolated, sorted storage of diverse fishing gear, in combination with a waterproof bait or fish receptacle and other tackle devices.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,303,500 and 5,305,544 issued respectively to Luukonen and Testa, Jr. on Apr. 19, 1994 and Apr. 26, 1994 disclose examples of hardened fishing tackle devices. In Luukonen, a bucket is modified to include an exteriorly attached apron providing slots or pockets to loosely accommodate various tackle elements while a plurality of compartmented circular trays are disposed within the confines of the bucket to receive hooks and the like. In the case of the Testa, Jr. apparatus, a cooler chest like device is partitioned to provide a wet side capable of serving as a live bait section while a measuring scale is formed on the removable top cover. Neither of the above devices offer the plurality of stacked, slidable compartments of the instant apparatus nor include a separate, removable bait/catch receptacle.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in any combination, is seen to even remotely suggest or describe the instant invention as claimed herein.